


You're All Over There, and I'm Already Here

by keelover



Category: Avengers (Comics), Captain Marvel (Marvel), Ms. Marvel (Comics), Spider-Woman (Comic)
Genre: Caretaking, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-21
Updated: 2012-11-21
Packaged: 2017-11-19 04:34:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/569143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelover/pseuds/keelover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>No one trusted her because, when they looked at her, they didn’t see her, they saw Veranke.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You're All Over There, and I'm Already Here

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the [Empty](http://keelover.livejournal.com/32849.html) fill for my [avengers_tables](http://avengers-tables.livejournal.com) over on LJ.

A flutter of lashes reveal a blurred setting of watered down garbage and a large brick wall, faded with both time and neglect. Jess felt every hit she had took, tears blending in with the rain that poured heavily overtop her head, anger resurfacing. The blood that coursed down the left side of her face was cause for concern, though she ignored it, teeth chattering as the cold set in. She was all alone, empty from the inside out. The smell of raw fish and peppered spice was nauseating, head swimming as she fought to move, failing miserably.

****

Jessica had been running most of the day, dodging Hydra at every corner, refusing to fall into the clutches of Viper, the deluded Madame Hydra, and her mind controlled minions. The result was a twelve story plunge that had rendered her unconscious, costume too damaged to carry her in flight, giving her just enough leeway not to die. She wiped at her eyes beneath her mask, laughing to herself; it had been morning when she had blacked out, and during all of that time, no one had come looking for her because, she thought, no one cared. She was, after all, forgettable, not to be trusted, and susceptible to failure.

****

From the day she was conceived, Jessica could best be described as an experiment. In fact, more people were interested in what had been done to her than who she was. Molded into a puppet with strings multiple hands could manipulate; Jess was pushed and pulled, twirled and twisted in whichever direction her puppeteer at the time saw fit. If that wasn’t enough, the first time in her life that she felt she was worth something, that she could truly atone for all of the horrible things she had done, she was ripped out of her life and replaced by an alien queen. “And they all thought she was me,” she said, words muttered as she wrapped her arms around herself, compound fracture to her right fibula throbbing as she fought to stay awake.

****

The physical pain she experienced was live and well, leg requiring surgery as she chose to remain still, tearing her mask off as she sobbed harder. She felt betrayed. Madame Hydra had patted her cheek, and kissed her forehead though Jessica fought her. “I’ll always be here for you, even when they’re not.”

****

Jess wanted to scream, rain falling harder as she threw an empty metal can at the wall in front of her. She hated her, hated her more than anything, but what was stopping her from being right? Jess brushed her hair back and away from her face, where was Clint? Where was anyone? She tried so hard, over and over, and nothing happened.

****

When she was alone there was no one to quell the uneasiness; the nightmares. Clint served as a distraction, but even as Jess thought about him, the bile in her stomach rose as the memory of the way he had treated her, the way they had all treated her, after she came back. No one trusted her because, when they looked at her, they didn’t see her, they saw Veranke. “And they all thought she was me.”

****

Jess wiped her nose with the back of her hand, shaking as she fought to sit upright. The pain had morphed into a form of euphoria, head spinning, and just when she felt at her lowest, a soft shimmer of light shone down upon her. Jess looked up, a soft glowing ember calling down to her. A wave of warmth washed over her as two strong arms embraced her, raising her up, and taking her away from the cold darkness. Safe, she slept, lost in a haze of confusion and relief; someone cared.

****

Jess attempted to roll over, eyes opening as the pain in her leg and the heaviness surrounding it stopped her. When her vision cleared, she noticed she was no longer in an alley but a ward, gurney equipped with technological advancements not known to the outside world. Her leg was encased in a metal cast, lasers streaming beams in various colors as it read messages back at her. The fluorescent lighting did nothing to quell the ache in her head, a thick layer of gauze felt beneath her fingertips. The cold, sopping wet costume she wore was removed, she noticed as well, replaced by a hospital gown, warmed by a thick layer of blankets.

 

“Jess, are you okay?” Carol hurried to her side, hair tied back as she seemed to have forgotten how to walk, feet never touching the ground as she embraced her, mindful of her injuries as she pressed a kiss to Jess’ forehead. She pulled away, readjusting the draped leather jacket she wore, cheeks tinge red as her eyes welled. “Obviously, you’re not. What a stupid question, right?”

****

Jess fought to find the words she needed to say. “You came for me.”

****

Carol ran her fingers through Jess’ hair, frown settling over her face as she held her hand. “Jess, of course. Why wouldn’t I? I just, it took so long to get any answers...”

****

Jess wiped at her eyes, hugging Carol’s waist as she laid her head down upon her chest. “You came for me,” she said in between sobs, glad to feel something other than emptiness.  

****

Carol placed her other hand behind Jess’ head, keeping her steady. “Jess, what is this?”

****

Jess laughed, squeezing Carol’s hand as she said, “Just a _Jess_ thing.”

    

**  
**


End file.
